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Topic Review (Newest First)

06-16-2002 01:06 AM

Slinger

I took that 555 back to Scott at the Den and he peeled the line off the reel. PARTS OFF THE LINE THAT HAD NEVER BEEN OFF THE SPOOL WERE CRACKED. He said there had to be a flaw in the line and that he would get it replaced, the only problem is that he said it would probably take two weeks to get another line from Cortland. He said that Cortland wouldn`t allow him to just swap it for new line. Two weeks is a long time to be without a line at the peak of the season! Lucky I have my old clear Int. on another reel.
Slinger

06-14-2002 09:43 AM

BigDave

Thanks

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions here. I ended up going with the Cortland 444 sl in a 10 weight.

Cheers,

BigD

06-14-2002 08:44 AM

Roop

Slinger - call 'em & send it back.

I had that problem with a #8 & #9 clear 444 int lines 2 years ago.
Cortland had the lies back to me within a week. Got a call from a technician there as well who admitted that there was a problem with that batch of lines. Good guy, good company, great service.

Maybe new lines are like new software? Send it out & let the public test it for you.

Roop

06-14-2002 01:12 AM

Slinger

I bought a new Cortland 555 and I`ve only had it 2 months and the finish is allready shot. The line has a tendancy to blow into the rear of the boat when I`m fishing in the back of the boat and gets down in the bilge. There are spots in the first 50` that feel like sandpaper. I don`t blame Cortland for the condition, but $59 is a lot to only get 2 months use. Aside from that it`s a very good line. When someone gets to braggin about casting the whole line let them try it with this one at 125`.
Slinger

06-13-2002 05:16 PM

ssully

Take a look at the new Cortland 555 clear camo "little tunny" before you buy the airflo. Very slick line. My .02

06-13-2002 10:43 AM

juro

This is too spooky but I have caught that fish before. I pointed out the injured eye to Ryan, remembered it from a photo I took when fishing the flats with my son, and the distinct pattern of the healing eye, and it hit me like an X-File episode. I didn't mention the coincidence until I came home and dug out the picture of the eye. The fish appeared to have grown quite a bit, 2 pounds perhaps, it was sub-legal last year I think.

The Airflo coating is superior, but Cortland takes a direct nail knot like any flyline. My 444 clear is full of tiny cracks in it's fourth season, I bought it the year of the first boneclave and started fishing it in May of 1999 when it first hit the shelves at the flyshop I part-timed at back then (our sponsor, Blue Northern Trading Co.). Despite the cracks that cause light refraction, it still casts great and works really well. I would retire it for aesthetics and slight increase in visibility during bright conditions, not because it doesn't "work". I just purchased a new one, $52 - not bad at 12 bucks a year. Spin guys pay that easy.

Airflo line is guaranteed to be crack-proof for 5 years, sounds great. I wish they didn't require a loop. I like to re-tool my leaders a lot and the convenience of a 30 second nail knot on the water is too important to me to give up. I also like to minimize the size of all connections clunking thru the guides and slicing thru mung and weeds.

Some people avoid nail knots because they are difficult... just buy a large needle at the craft store for $.50 cents and you can tie a nail knot using the eye to pull the line back thru in about 30 seconds. I did it at the stairs before we jumped on the boat that morning in fact.

I tie my own leaders so the loop is moot. The blood knots tell me which sections of the taper and tippet need repair, although they do catch mung. I found a solution to mung... move somewhere else!

06-13-2002 09:55 AM

BigDave

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will probably go with the Airflo or Cortland in a 10 wt.

Juro - That bitter reply about my casting style was from Ryan (aka talented willie). I don't think he's got the skunk off from Sunday yet! You can absolutely post that pic of the striper - chipped tooth and all (now repaired).

Cheers again to you and Bill for letting us tag along. Watching you drag race that legal down the beach on the way back was a blast.

Do you generally nail knot the leader directly to your intermediate line? For my depth charge I have a 50# loop connector knotted to the fly line. My usual leader consists of 3ft of 35#, 3ft of 22# and handshake loop to 3ft of 16# floro tippet.

Dave

06-13-2002 09:50 AM

DFix

Mike - VERY INTERESTED

Email me. Thanks.

06-13-2002 09:23 AM

steelheadmike

Cortland may solve your dilema

BigDave,

After reading some of the other posts I remembered that Cortland has the new Tunny Line out. The line shoots like a rocket and is a smidge heavier than most other intermediates with the same line rating. The line really is meant for 1-3 false casts and then shoot. Its not something you try to hold in the air for any length of time ( if you are the type that makes 8-10 false casts it's not for you ). I have casted this line numerous times and the only reason I don't own one yet is I don't have a spool or reel to put in on.

By the way if anyone would like an Airflow 11 Intermediate or an Airflow 11 ( Lefty Kreh Edition ) Floater you are welcome to them? The Intermediate has been used maybe 12 times and the Floater 2 times ( back in the box ). Perhaps someone can cut them into heads or use them to experiment with? Let me know.

06-13-2002 08:45 AM

DFix

Hi Art - nice to hear from you. Email if you get a chance.

(Topic) I own mostly Cortland lines as well, and have no trouble with any of them; don't yet own a camo intermediate in their line. My current clear intermediate lines are Airflo, and I don't have problems with those, either.

06-13-2002 08:18 AM

Nick

Art, good to hear from ya, and you didn't stop this one!

Nick

06-13-2002 07:07 AM

artb

I haven't posted in quite awhile, but I had to make a statement. I agree with Juro that it is hard to beat Cortland 444 clear intermediate line. I have been using the Camo instead of the clear, same line tinted. I have a new S/A striper line that is the 3rd replacement that I have gotten. It is not forsale as I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, nor will I use it. I also have a couple of Teeny lines including a 450 grain. You can't beat Cortland, in my opinion. I still haven't bought a 555 Cortland yet, just haven't been to the shop. Let's see if this post stops the thread, I stop more threads by posting than anyone.:hehe: If anyone e-mails me check my e-mail address.

06-13-2002 06:08 AM

FishHawk

Most saltwater rods are underated by at least one line size. I would go with the Airflo 10wt for your rod. It has a five year no crack guarntee. While it won't take a nail because its surface is so slick the Albright knot does the job and is not a problem. at the casting clave this past winter, I lent my Airflow lines to people with 9wt rods and the could cast farther with the heaver weight line. Yes it might be your casting style but when an expert caster like Juro tried my old Sage RPl wit a 400 grain Airflo he cast out the whole line. So I believe that the line rating are not up to the modern rods
FishHawk

06-12-2002 08:23 PM

juro

I hope you guys know each other!

Dave that was a blast, with your permission I'd like to post a clip of you fighting that nice striper.

I would go with a Cortland 444 SW Clear Intermediate in a 10wt for that rod, but only after I tested it out first. Why? I have been fishing mine for years and love how it takes a nail knot like a regular line. It also won't spook the pod.

People use 325 grain heads all the time on 9wt rods, and that is far more grains than the AFTMA 10wt rating.

Some rods would not take a line rating up, but that rod is a big game rod and can definitely take it.

Just to reiterate on my comments out on the water -

That observation was meant to apply to the conditions we were facing. Under those gale force headwinds one of those older intermediate bug tapers one wgt up (10wt) would have been the ticket to allow the rod to load quickly and reach the intended target without unnecessary false casting.

After Ed Shea's introduction to Powell rods at our winter casting conclave, I am very impressed and hope to cast them a lot more in the future. I would imagine that the setup you had would be su-weet to cast on a calm evening in a striper filled estuary, but we just didn't have the luxury under those howling conditions.

I was limited to an odd backward cast while driving the loop like a pelican close to the water into position in order to hook those fish with my RPLXi. I could have used a compact wind-cheater line as well.

All that being said the most important thing is the amount of energy you have in your loop, and a stiff flyrod isn't necessarily going to get that energy into the line unless you can load it during the stroke before you stop. The stiffer the rod, the harder it is to load, therefore the less energy transfer you get if under-loaded.

A progressive, high modulus rod with a taper that loads distinctly and unloads with vigor is my favorite rod action. Most often, this is not a stiff rod at all but a fast one in that the line speed is high.

06-12-2002 01:52 PM

talented_willie

BigD,

I think that rather than investigating new lines, that you should work on adapting your pitifully weak casting technique. Just a suggestion.

willie

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